Amy Clark

The business of coaching ultrarunners is one of the least talked about, yet fastest-growing businesses in the running world. The growing population of ultrarunners means coaching services are exceedingly in demand for the niche sport and therefore, include a number of athletes who are stepping into the ring as professional coaches.

We found the Zinal 2 to be a perfect option for shorter trail days, but missed the snappy response of the original version when running on flat, fast surfaces. The lighter weight and beefier traction help transition this model into a trail shoe that can easily tackle just about any technical surface.

After a year of devastating wildfires and epic snowfall, the highlight of the 2023 Western States Endurance Run could have easily been the significant damage to the trails and surrounding landscape. But it was just the opposite. This year’s event was one of hope and inspiration, proving that this legendary race seems to have grown that much stronger after being faced with some of the biggest hurdles in its 50-year history.

Ultrarunning continues to make great strides due to the incredible minds behind the scenes and the community of runners and volunteers who continue to give their time and energy. While growing pains are inevitable, there’s a good chance we’ll emerge a better version than where we began.

COROS released the second version of the Apex Pro in November, and one of the things we appreciate about this young company are their efforts to consistently improve on both their software and the physical interface of each model. The Apex 2 Pro brings a whopping 75 hours of battery life in standard GPS mode and includes the latest dual-frequency technology for more challenging locations.

A Long Way from Nowhere is a new film featuring runners taking part in the 150-mile Desert RATS stage race. The course traverses the Kokopelli Trail, which stretches from Fruita, CO, to Moab, UT, during one of the hottest months of the year.

This winter we’ve tested four jackets that provide varying degrees of cold weather protection and weather resistance to keep you running comfortably through the harsh elements.

The Mesa Trail II is a minimalist shoe that includes design features to stabilize the foot and keep a good surface connection with trail due to an aggressive lug pattern. Many will find this model to be a fast, lightweight option for runners who prefer a little more protection but would still prefer to be “barefoot” on the trail.

The Western States Endurance Run lottery happens to be my favorite day of the year: no pressure, just an overwhelming amount of excitement and anticipation for those waiting for their chance to run.

In a new report released on itra.run, ITRA’s new president, Bob Crowley, reveals his vision for the future of trail running, ITRA’s role in the global trail running community and answers questions about their relationship with UTMB.

Runners returned to Olympic Valley, CA, this past weekend to run the world’s oldest and most iconic 100-mile race. Although the event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, organizers, volunteers and participants didn’t skip a beat this year.

In his latest book, “A Runner’s High,” Dean Karnazes pulls in readers right where we’re most comfortable: on the trail in the middle of an ultramarathon.

New to the market, the brand rnnr was co-founded by ultrarunners and offers fun gear for a running lifestyle. Their Cold Weather Running Beanie is a cozy cap that pulls on loosely and easily covers ears for maximum protection from the elements. The acrylic fabric is soft against the head and a thicker weave insulates during exposure to sleet and snow.

Nashville software company Atiba Labs had already started a conversation with UltraSignup founder, Mark Gilligan, in the fall of 2019. “UltraSignup dominates the trail running registration space – they are already established,” said partner Jay Kelley, who is also an ultrarunner. The partners say they plan to stick with the brand’s look and feel, but will address the website’s need for more horsepower.

While Tropical John’s voice can be heard announcing finishers at the Western States finish line in Auburn, he also maintains a prominent voice in the magazine. We spoke with John about his ultrarunning career, the history of the magazine, as well as his piece, “Four Decades of Ultrarunning” in the 40th anniversary special issue coming out in February.

As we roll into the coming year, we’ve learned to look for glimmers of hope. Glimmers like races returning, smiles underneath masks, and the possibility that our sport will return to normal when it’s safe to do so. But you don’t have to wait. Make those glimmers happen by continuing to cultivate the encouragement and support that our sport thrives on.

Jeff Stern recently set the FKT on the Backbone Trail in Southern California. After most of his races were canceled this year, he completed extensive research and proper scouting on the the trail in order to go for the FKT. In this episode, we talked about his background as an athlete, what it takes to prepare, and what he learned from his first FKT attempt. Jeff is an elite ultrarunner, columnist for UR, a coach and an all-around wonderful person. Read his latest feature on Big’s Backyard in the December 2020/January 2021 issue of UltraRunning.

UR columnist Gary Cantrell (Lazarus Lake) took on an unexpected and exciting new race format this summer that ended up being one of the biggest of his career. This podcast episode began as a column and turned into a conversation about the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee (GVRAT), Big’s Backyard and more.

Tracy Beth Høeg, MD, PhD is a sports doctor who happens to specialize in ultrarunning injuries. She is an accomplished ultrarunner herself, and continues to pursue a balance of being a working mom, wife and ultrarunner. We discuss how she found ultrarunning and became interested in studying the sport, her medical research at Western States, and how the current pandemic is affecting athletes. Dr. Høeg writes the column “Ultra Doc” for UR.

Fall has arrived. In a typical year, back-to-school activities would be in full swing and fall races would fill the weekends. While much of that has changed, brisk morning runs and leaf-lined trails are a sign that summer is no longer around to keep us warm.

As the co-founder of Squirrel’s Nut Butter, Chris Thornley is in the business of chafing – well, preventing it, that is. But it may come as a surprise that SNB was not originally created to prevent the dreaded skin burn.

John Trent has become a fixture in the ultrarunning community on the West Coast and is one of the best storytellers in the sport. Not only has he been on the Western States board since 2004, he’s also a race director and 10-time finisher of Western States. We discuss John’s big plans for 2020 prior to COVID-19 and his incredible ability to tell people’s stories in his column, Voice of the Sport.

In our very first episode, we talk with Erika Hoagland – an amazingly talented ultrarunner and author of the column, I Am an Ultrarunner in URM. We sit down to chat about her race plans (pre-COVID), training for 100-milers while being a mom, the experience of fastpacking around Lake Tahoe on her honeymoon, and what (and where) she hopes to run in the future.

Co-founded by Michel Poletti in 2012, the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) became a way to track and score all ultras for UTMB and Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT). On April 14, it was announced that Bob Crowley was voted in as the new president, replacing Poletti.

There are many reasons to invest in a treadmill other than a few weeks of miserable winter weather and a global health crisis, but for sanity and safety purposes, these reasons float treadmill ownership to the top of our list.

Pumpkin doughnuts. That’s all it took to get me to sign up for a scramble in the fall – one of my first official trail races. Held on a Friday afternoon in October, the course took runners through golden aspens, splashing across a creek, climbing up a steep embankment (hence, the “scramble”) and along buttery single track for just a few short miles.

In 2017, the last finisher to round the track at Western States was Karen Bonnett-Natraj. The crowd erupted in cheers as she entered the stadium, and everyone was on their feet glancing at their watches as if that would help Karen make it to the finish line under the 30-hour cutoff. With just 9 seconds to spare, she became the oldest finisher that year at age 61.

Running on trails satisfies a primal need to connect with nature. The sheer thrill of treading across dirt, rocks and roots reaches deep into the soul and leaves us wanting more. After I began running ultras, I discovered another soulful connection with the trails that I never expected.

These women’s running tights from rabbit include a little compression and a lot of comfort. Perfect for mild winter weather or a chilly spring day, these tights will wick away moisture but aren’t insulated for sub-freezing temperatures.

Since turning 40 almost seven years ago, Jeff Browning has reacquainted himself with strength training. As a professional ultrarunner, he attributes his recent success to his “Tough 21” routine that helps him handle the volume and stress of 100-milers. Read and watch more about this circuit he does a few times per week.